Safety razor



De 2, 1941. G. MONNET 2,264,323

SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 19, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 llllulll mmhimnmmu INVENTOR GEOR GES MONNE T ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1941. G. MONNET 2,264,323

SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 19, 1957 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mam INVENTOR GEORGES MONNET ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1941.

G. MONNET SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 19, 19-37 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR GEORGES MONNET z ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OF F I CE SAFETY RAZOR Georges Monnet, New York, N. Y.

Application June .19, 1937, Serial No. 149,050

7 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors, and refers more particularly to a single-piece safety razor adapted to carry double-edge or .singleedge razor .blades.

At the present time the manufacture of safety razors is standardized, sov that razors .of 'thesame weight and size are offered for saletoall customers. .The blade-holding parts of each razor are also made of standard form and size, with the result that the users of safety razors cannot vary the angle of inclination of the blade to any appreciable extent.

Another drawback of the safety razors now in use .is that the edges of the razor blade are exposed when such razor blade is left upon the razor after use, with the result that'the fingers of the user are often cut by those edges when the razor is being handled.

I have found that a safety razor must be adapted to .the individual requirements of the user, in order thatthe latter shall receive a clean, smooth shave; users having a heavybeard should use a heavier razor in order to obtain a good shave, while such heavy razor would not be suitable for aperson having a lightheard; furthermore, the angle of inclination of the cutting edge of a blade relatively .to the razor handle should be made variable depending upon the thickness of the beard and the skin of .the user, in order that each user may obtain a perfect shave. Since a safety .razor is often used by several persons, andsince it would be impractical to manufacture razors of different weights and difierent forms for various customers, an object of the present invention is to construct a single safety razor which could be adapted to the variousindividual requirements of the users.

Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the necessity of taking a safety razor apart priorto the insertion of the razor bladeand to provide a single-piece razor which will firmly clamp a blade by the mere turning of the handle of the razor.

A further object is the provision of .a safety razor which will support .the razor blade at an angle to the razor axis which isparticularly advantageous to the needs of the used.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a safety razor .having means for adjusting .theangle of inclination of the cutting edge of a blade depending upon the requirements of the individual .user.

Yet another object of the present invention is theprovision of a razor havingmeans for-shifting the centerof gravity thereof and/or changing its weight in order to adapt the razor to the :requirements of the .user. Y

Still another object is the provision of a razor having means for protecting 'thefingers of the user while the blade is carried by the razor.

Another object of the present invention is'the provision of a safetyrazor.having-resilient -means holding and clamping the cutting edge of a-blade.

The above and other objectsof the present invention maybe realized through the provision of a safety razor having .a guard comprising a resilient support carried by a frameelernent, .the blade being held upon :saidsupport by a-clamping member which is operated by the manipulation of the stem or handle portion .of .the razor. The resilient support comprises a portion situated at a distance from the frame element, .so that the angle of inclination of the blademay be adjusted by'varying the pressure of the clamping member upon the blade situated upon the resilient support.

The weightof the razor may be varied by the provision of additional elements, which may be attached to the handle, the stem, or the guard of the safety razor, or the center o'fgravity of the razor .may be changed byshifting certain elements of the razor relatively to its guard.

A separate casing enclosing the guard of the razor .may be used .to protect the fingers of the user and prevent the blade from being dulled whileit is not in use.

The invention will appear more clearly .from the following detailed .description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing by way of example preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

,Figure :1 is a top view .of a safety razor constructedin accordance with the .principles ,of the present inventionin an inoperative position;

Figure 2 is a side view of the safety razor;

V Figure3 is anend view .of the razor;

Figure 4 is a ,crosssection through the guard of the razor along the line .4--4.of Figure .1

.Figure 5 is a cross-section through the guard of the razor along the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

.Figure 6 .is a longitudinal section through the guard .of the safety .razor taken along the line 6-6 of Figure ,1

.Figure 7 is a cross-section along thef'line 1-] of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is .a section along the line i8-8 of Figure9 and shows the-guard of the razor when the latter is in its operative position;

Figure .9 is atop view of the razor along the line 9--9 of Figure 8 and shows parts of the razor in their operative positions;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the resilient support;

Figure 11 is a perspective View of the guide or frame element;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of one of the clamping members used for holding a razor blade upon the resilient support of the safety razor;

Figure 13 is an end View of another safety razor;

Figure 14 is a side view of the upper portion of the safety razor shown in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of an element adapted to be attached to the guard of the razor for the purpose of increasing its weight;

Figure 16 is a section of an element adapted to be attached to the handle of the razor;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a casing used for covering the razor blade carried upon a safety razor; and

Figure 18 is an end view of the guard of a safety razor with the razor blade and the supportenclosed by the protective casing shown in Figure 17.

The safety razor shown in Figures 1 to 12 of the drawings comprises a stem or handle portion 20 having outer screw threads 2| and a hollow interior 22 (Fig. '1).

The guard of the razor, which is used for supporting the blade, consists of two pieces, namely, a U-shaped frame element or guide 23, which is shown separately in Figure 11, and a somewhat resilient support 24, which is shown separately in Figure 10.

' The U-shaped guide 23 comprises a central portion 25 having a central round opening 26 and two legs or guide pieces 21 and 28. The guides 21 and 28 comprise diverging side surfaces 29 and 36, as well as rounded top surfaces 3|. The inner surface 32 of the guide 28 comprises two curved grooves 33, which form an inverted V, the upper portion of the two grooves joining to form one single groove which is in communication with the upper surface 3|. The opposite ends of the two grooves 33 are in communication with the surfaces 29 and 39 of the guide piece 28.

Similar grooves 34 are formed on the opposite surface of the guide 21 which has the same form as that of the guide 28. V

The support 24 is provided with a large central opening 35 and comprises parallel edges 36 and 31 provided with inturned flanges 38 and 39, respectively.

The edges 36 and 31 are interconnected by the portions 46 and 4| having projections 42 and 43, respectively, which are placed over the upper surfaces 3| of the guide members 21 and 28 when the razor is assembled. The projections 42 and 43 are provided with cut-out portions 44 and 45 constituting a continuation of the grooves 33 and 34 formed in the guide members 21 and 28.

The frame portions 40 and 4| are also provided with openings 46 and 41, which are situated over the bore holes 48 and 49 formed in the guides 21 and 28. As shown more clearly in Figure 6, bolts 59 and 5| pass through the openings 46 and 41 and are screwed into the bore holes 48 and 49, thereby firmlyconnecting the blade-supporting member 24 with the frame element 23. V

As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5 the blade-supporting member .24 and the upper surfaces 3| of the guide 23 are convexin'form, but the radius of the blade-supporting member 24 is greater than that of the surfaces 3|, so that portions of the blade-supporting member 24 extend at a certain distance from the underlying surfaces 3|. Due to this arrangement, the blade 5|, which is placed upon the supporting member 24, is resiliently supported by the guard of the razor.

The blade 5| is held upon the razor by means of two clamping members 52 and 53, which are similar to each other in form, the clamping member 53 being shown separately in Figure 12 of the drawings. The members 52 and 53 may be resilient either totally or in part.

As shown in Figure 12, the member 53 is substantially arcuate in form and comprises an outer edge 54 as well as an inner edge 55; it is provided with three parallel grooves 56, 51, and

58 extending from the edge 55 close to the opposite edge 54 of the clamping member 53. The surface 59 of the groove 51 is provided with screw threads.

As shown more clearly in Figure 1, the grooves 56, 51, and 58 correspond to the semi-circular cut-out portions 66, 6| and 62 which constitute the continuation of the central opening 63 of the razor blade 5|.

The other clamping member 52 is similar in form to the member 53 and is so arranged that its edge 64, which is similar to the edge 55, is situated opposite the latter. 7

The side edges 65 and 66 of the clamping member 53, as well as similar edges of the clamping member 52, are situated in the grooves 33 and 34 provided in the guide pieces 21 and 28.

In the inoperative position shown in Figures i l, 2 and 3, the edges 55 and 64 of the clamping members 53 and 52 project beyond the blade 5| and extend through the central slot 63 of the blade. The opposite edge 54 of the clamping member 53 and the corresponding edge of the clamping member 52 extend through the opening 35 of the frame member 24 and may be in contact with the lower surface of the razor blade 5|.

The operative position of the clamping members 52 and 53 is shown in Figures 8 and 9. In this position, the edge 55 of the member 53 and the corresponding edge 64 of the member 52 engage the upper surfaces of the blade 5| and press the blade against the blade-supporting member 24, which in-its turn is pressed against the frame element 23. As shown in Fig. 10, the support 24 is made of comparatively thick sheet metal. On the other'hand, the pressure which can be exerted by the clamping members 52 and 53 is not very great and it is applied close to the edges of the guide 23 along the entire length of a blade 5|. Therefore, as soon as the clamping members 52 and 53 have pressed the support 24 against the surfaces 3| (Figure 8), the edges of the guide 23 will serve as a stop, making it impossible for the support 24 to bend any further and preventing a withdrawal of the clamping members from their grooves. V 5

The clamping members 52 and 53 are operated by means of a pivot61, which is firmly connected with a shaft 68 situated within the central opening 22 'of the handle 2D. The pivot 61 is provided with screw threads meshing with the screw threads 59' of the clamping members 52 and 53. A disc 69 is situated on top r the portion 25 of the frame element 23. The lower end 10 of the rod 68' (Fig. 7,) is threaded and is firmly connected with adisc 1| which is situated belowthe handle 26. A user having a light beard will turn the disc 1| to a lesser extent than someone having a heavy beard, so that less pressure will be exerted by the clamping members 52 and 53 upon the blade carried by the support 24. If the pressure is sufficiently light, there may be a certain amount of play between the surfaces 3| of the guide 23 and the adjacent surfaces of the support 24.

The safety razor is operated as follows:

The blade-supporting member 24 is preferably magnetized so that a blade 5| placed upon it will be firmly held by the support. The blade is placed in such manner that the ends 5 1 and 55 of the clamping members 52 and '53 will extend through the central openmg 63 of the blade. In this position, which is shown in Figures '1, 2, and 3, the opposite ends of the members 52 and 53 extend through the opening of the bladesupporting member 24 and engage the underlying surface of the blade -"5|.

In order to clamp the blade upon the safety razor, it is merely necessary to turn the disc 11, thereby rotating the shaft 68 and the pivot 61. As has already been mentioned, the pivot 51 meshes with screw-threads 59 provided in the grooves 5101" the clamping members 53 and 52.

The rotation of the pivot '6"! will, therefore, be transmitted to the two clamping members 52 and 53, which will be moved Within the grooves 33 and 34 in the directions of the arrows '12 and 13, shown in Figure 8. The members 52 and 53 will move over the upper surface of the blade 5| until the edge 55 of the member 53 and the edge 6'4 of the member '52 will engage the upper surface of the blade 5| and then gradually press the blade 5| against. the blade support 24 while the latter support will be gradually pressed against the frame element 23.

The amount of pressure exerted by the clamping members 52 and 53 upon the blade "5| may be varied at will, and the position of the blade 5| relatively to the frame element 23 may be varied, depending upon that pressure. If the pressure is comparatively weak, the blade sup porting member 24 will :be raised somewhat above the edges of the frame element 23. Since it is customary for "the user to hold the safety razor at one certain angle relatively to his face while shaving, the angle at which the cutting edges of the blade will cut the beard will be changed, by changing the pressure of the clamping members 52 and 53. Obviously the resiliency and the flexibility of the blade-holding means will be also varied by changing the pressure exerted by the clamping members 52 and 53 upon the blade 5|. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, the cutting edges of a blade are held between two resilient and flexible supports, which are flexible and resilient to a smaller or greater extent depending upon the individual requirements of the user. This resiliency and flexibility of the blade-holding means is changed by varying the pressure exerted by the clamping members 52 and 53 upon the blade 5|, this pressure being varied by turning to greater or lesser extent the disc 1|.

The razor comprises two rings 14 and 15, having inner screw-threads l6 and 11, respectively (Fig. '7) which mesh with the outer screw-threads 2| of the handle 20. In the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, the two rings 14 and 15 are situated at the bottom of the handle adjacent the disc II. On the other hand, in the position shown in full lines in Figure '7, the two rings 14 and 15 are situated at the opposite end of the handle adjacent the portion 25 of the U-shaped frame element 23. Obviously, the rings 74 and 15 may be situated in any suitable position intermediate the two ends of the handle 29.

Due to the provision of these rings, the center of gravity of the razor maybe changed at will and the razormay be adapted to the individual requirements of each user.

If the user has sensitive skin and Iightbeard, it would be advisable for him to apply less force while shaving, and then the rings i l and 15 may be situated in the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, with the result that the portion of the razor holding the razor blade is comparatively light and the center of gravity is situated at the lower portion of the razor. The user will then press the razor with a comparatively weak-force against his skin while shaving and the danger that his skin will be irritated or cut by the sharp edges of the blade will be considerably diminis'hed.

On the other hand, in the case of users having a comparatively thick beard, who require that the razor be applied with a greater force against the skin while shaving, the two rings 14 and 15 may be shifted to the position shown in Figure 7, whereby the center of gravity of the razor. will be shifted upward close to those portions of the razor which hold the blade. In the v position shown in Figure 7, the safety razor may be pressed with greater force against the cheek of the user, all other circumstances being the same, so that users having a heavy beard will be able to obtain 'a better and smoother shave.

The safety razor shown in Figures 13 to 18 is similar to the one described and comprises a handle portion 88 provided with threads 8|, a guide 82, a blade-supporting member 83, and a pair of clamping members 83 and 85. The razor is operated by turning the disc 85. Two rings 87 and 88 are carried by the handle so and are provided with inner screw-threads meshing with the outer screw-threads 8| of the handle 86.

As shown in Figures 13, 14 and 18, the guard 82 is provided with two grooves 89 and 99 situated on opposite sides of the handle portion 85.

The guard 82 may :carry two weights 9| and 92, one of which is shown separately in Figure 15 of the drawings. The shape :of the weights 91 and 92 is such'that they can be easily inserted into the grooves 89 and and will remain therein unless removed by the user. The purpose of the weights 9| and 92 is to increase the weight of the safety razor at its upper portion and thus enable the user to apply greater pressure while shaving. Obviously, the safety razor may be supplied with several members 9| and 92 of different weights, which can be used in various combinations to change the weight of the razor.

The weight of the razor may also be increased by providing a weight 93 having the form of an additional handle, which may be screwed into the lower threaded end (not shown) of the disc 86; the weight 93 is provided with a threaded bore hole 94 for that purpose (Fig. 16). An advantage of the additional weight 93 is that it will increase the length of the handle, thereby adapting the razor for use by persons having large hands, who would be otherwise inconvenienced by the usual comparatively short handle of the razor.

Figures 17 and 18 show a casing I00, which is used for protecting a blade 5| carried by the blade-supporting member 83. The casing I00 preferably comprises a central portion |0| provided with a central opening I02, and two flanges M3 and IE4. As shown in Figure 18, the flanges I03 and H14 enclose the edges of the blade 5i, forming air cushions around these edges, and thus prevent the dulling of these edges. They also protect the fingers or the hands of the user from being cut by these edges.

The casing I00 is held in position upon the safety razor by the two springs 84 and 85, which extend through the opening I02 provided in the central portion Ifll. Obviously, any other suitable means may be used for holding the protecting casing I00 upon a safety razor.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, and that the structures above described are subject to wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a safety razor, a guard comprising a guiding member having at least one groove formed therein, said guard being adapted to support a blade, at least one clamping member having an edge guided in said groove, and means connected with said clamping member and said guiding member for moving said clamping member from an inoperative position to a clamping position and vice versa, the blade being engaged by the clamping member and clamped thereby in said clamping position, and being released by said clamping member when the latter is moved into said inoperative position.

2. In a safety razor having a guard adapted to support a blade and a handle connected with said guard; said guard having a groove formed therein; a weight removably fitting into said groove to increase the weight of the razor and to shift the center of gravity thereof.

3. In a safety razor, a guard adapted to support a blade, a substantially elongated resilient clamping member having a threaded middle portion and an edge which is situated adjacent the middle portion of said blade in the inoperative position of said clamping member, a central pivot having threads engaging the threaded portion of said clamping member, and means connected with said pivot for turning the same to cause said edge portion of the clamping member to move outwardly toward a sharp edge of the blade and to engage and clamp the blade.

4. In a safety razor, a supporting guide having a substantially inclined upper surface, a resilient flexible guard connected with said guide and situated over the inclined surface thereof, a portion of said guard extending at a distance from said upper surface in an inoperative position, a clamping member, and means connected with said clamping member and said guide for moving said clamping member over said guard and for clamping a blade situated between said clamping member and said guard, whereby said guard is pressed against the inclined upper surface of said guide.

5. In a safety razor, a U-shaped guide having a central portion and two guide pieces, said guide pieces having opposed grooves formed therein, a guard carried by said guide pieces and having a central opening formed therein, said guard being adapted to carry a blade, at least one clamping member having a threaded portion and edges situated within said grooves, and a rotatable pivot having threads engaging the threads of said clamping member to move said clamping member outwardly through the central opening formed in said blade and the central opening of said guard to clamp said blade, said grooves guiding said clamping member in the course of said movement.

6. In a safety razor, an arcuate resilient frame-like guard adapted to support a blade and enclosing a central opening, an arcuate clamping member adapted to extend through a central opening formed in said blade, said member having a threaded portion and means having screw threads engaging the threaded portion of said clamping member and said guard for moving said clamping member outwardly through said central openings of the blade and the guard from an inoperative position to. a clamping position and vice versa, the blade being engaged by the clamping member and clamped thereby in said clamping position and being released by said clamping member when the latter is moved into said inoperative position.

'7. In a safety razor, an arcuate resilient clamping member comprising an edge portion having an outline corresponding to that of the central opening of a blade, a frame-like guard having a blade-supporting surface and a central opening formed therein, said edge portion projecting above said blade-supporting surface in an inoperative position of said clamping member and extending through the central opening of said blade when the latter is placed upon the guard, and means connected with said guard and engaging a surface of said arcuate clamping member for turning the clamping member and thereby move it outwardly through said central openings of the blade and the guard and toward a sharp edge of the blade to cause said edge portion to engage and clamp the blade.

GEORGES MONNET. 

